Love and War
by The Young Dragon
Summary: Andy is a soon-to-be retired officer in the navy. Miranda is a single mother raising a pair of 7 year old twins while maintaining her position as Editor in Chief of Runway. A chance encounter brings them together, but with the new arrival of Stephen, who's dead set on making Miranda his, will Andy give up that easily, or will she fight to show Miranda that she's worth the risk?
1. Chapter 1

When are we going to go see daddy?"

Andy looked down at the little boy staring up at her with his big, hopeful green eyes. She knelt down, getting eye level with the small boy, so she could wipe the smudges of chocolate from his cheek. She gave him her signature smile, and stood again, offering her hand. He happily took it, and the pair began to make their way out of the park.

"Well, maybe we can go see him this weekend," she chuckled, watching as the little boy lit up with a bright smile of his own, "but until then, you can call him tonight before bed. Maybe he'll even read you a bedtime story."

"Yeah! I wanna hear batman," the boy shouted enthusiastically, bouncing a little with each step he took.

"Of course you do, Braden," Andy chuckled.

The duo chatted happily about what they would have for dinner, until Braden was nearly knocked down by a set of twins chasing after a very large dog, with a woman chasing after them. She pulled Braden out of the was just in time for 2 men with cameras to fly passed them as well. The 5 year old looked stunned, his eyes wide and unblinking as he struggled to register what just happened. Andy, however was already moving into action as the dog turned back, dodging it's owners as it came back towards them. She reached out, her timing perfect, and grabbed the leash that was dragging behind the dog. When the dog stopped, she breathed a sigh of relief. Getting dragged around by a giant Saint Bernard wasn't on her list of things to do today. Braden was hiding behind her leg by the time the twins and the woman made it over to them. The three of them were panting, but the twins were grinning brightly.

"Patricia!"

"You got her!"

They both began to pet the dog, who decided the middle of the street was a great resting place. Andy handed the leash back to the girl closest to her, giving her a smile.

"That's a big dog you got there," she chuckled, "you should be careful."

"Thank you for catching her," the woman spoke up, "she usually doesn't run off like that, I'm not sure what's gotten into her lately."

"It's no problem," Andy waved off the thanks.

"I'm Caroline, and this is my little sister Cassidy," The twin on the right announced, much to her sister's annoyance.

"It's only by 10 minutes! It doesn't even count," Cassidy glared at her sister.

Andy noticed Caroline had more of an oval shaped face, while Cassidy's face was slightly more round. She looked at the twins in amusement as they bickered.

"Well, I'm Andrea, but everyone calls me Andy. And this is Braden," Andy looked down at the little boy currently looking at the dog cautiously, "say hi, Bud."

He looked at the twins with a bashful smile, moving farther behind Andy's leg,"...hi."

"Hi, Braden," Cassidy waved happily.

"Thanks for catching Patricia, Andy! Mom would have killed us if she got lost again," Caroline offered her a grateful smile.

"It's no problem," Andy shrugged.

"Andy, ice cream," Braden completely forgot the giant dog or the other people around him, he was now focused on the ice cream cart that was leaving the park.

"Braden, you just had a chocolate bar," Andy shook her head.

"Pleeeaaase?"

Andy groaned, unable to resist his pout and watery eyes. She shook her head, pulling out her wallet. His smile immediately returned, and he was once again bouncing. Andy pulled out a 20 dollar bill, and looked over at the other people that were with them.

"Ice cream anyone? Or maybe a water," Andy chuckled, "it looks like you guys worked up a sweat."

The twins immediately turned to the woman, who clearly knew she was outnumbered," can we Cara? Please?"

"Ok! But after this we have to get back. Patricia needs another bath before your mother gets home," Cara sighed.

"Yeah!"

"Go ahead, I'll hold the leash. We don't want her trying to take your ice cream," Andy took the leash again, watching them rush over with the money.

She and Cara followed, taking a moment to enjoy the silence. She looked over at the woman, and figured she wasn't their mother. The way she spoke led Andy to believe she was an aunt or possibly the Nanny. Since she looked nothing like the twins, Andy assumed the latter was more likely.

"They seem like a handful," Andy chuckled, watching the girls argue over getting the same flavor of ice cream while Braden was quite happy to smear his face with his own strawberry ice cream.

"Oh yes, but they're worth it. Of all the children I've taken care of over the years, these two are the ones I've become quite attached to," Cara smiled fondly.

"That's amazing," Andy returned the smile, before her phone went off.

After taking the call, she was forced to excuse herself and Braden, but offered an invitation to have a play date the following day. That seemed to placate the twins, who hadn't wanted her to go. She rushed them home, where her best friend Lily was waiting for them. After she changed, she gave Braden a goodbye kiss, thanked Lily and headed into work.

* * *

><p>The next afternoon, Braden was practically bouncing off the walls in excitement. He didn't make friends easily, due to his shy nature, but he had immediately taken a shine to the twins, despite the 2 year age difference. He even warmed up to their dog, who had terrified him upon their first encounter. Andy was amazed that he had become so comfortable so quickly. She felt guilty that she had to cut their time short, but duty called.<p>

"Is it time now, Andy," Braden asked for the 10th time, looking at the clock he had just recently learned to read.

Andy chuckled, glancing at her watch, "yeah, buddy. Are you all ready?"

She had just arrived home 20 minutes before, and hadn't had time to change out of her work clothes, which consisted of dark, navy blue fatigues, with a lighter blue crew neck shirt and her black combat boots. She opted out of wearing her jacket, since it was a sunny day.

"Ok, I'm ready," Braden announced, dressed in his best blue Ralph Lauren Polo shirt, with his favorite pair of tan shorts.

Andy raised an eyebrow at his sudden need to dress up. She chuckled to herself, knowing he was clearly dressed to impress. He was clearly his father's son, no doubt about it.

"Ok, Bud. Let's head out," she grabbed his hand, and they left her apartment.

They decided to walk to the park, since it was only 5 minutes away. Cara texted hee the night before to confirm the kids' play date, and to inform her the girls' mother would be the one taking them, since it was her day off. Andy didn't mind, and was a little curious about the mother of such big personalities.

"There they are! C'mon, Andy," Braden tugged her along, after spotting the redheads.

The girls heard his heavy footfalls, and turned to greet them. The woman with them turned as well, and Andy was momentarily distracted by her beauty. Her step faulted just slightly, but years of training allowed her to easily get back on track. She offered her hand to the woman, who took it lightly. The woman was eyeing her up, analyzing every detail. It set Andy on edge, but she forced herself to stay calm. A year ago, that would have been a trigger for her, but she's become more relaxed and adjusted to such things.

"Hi, you must be Miranda," She smiled brightly, "I'm Andrea, but you can call me Andy."

"Andrea," Miranda tested the name out, finding she quite liked the sound of it on her lips.

The reaction startled her a little, but she brushed it off. Besides, there was no way she was going to call this beautiful woman Andy, of all things. The thought of it was ridiculous.

"I see you're in the military," Miranda tried to change the course of her thoughts, as the children ran off to play on the swings.

"10 years, officially. 14 unofficially, ma'am," Andy grinned, quite proud of the achievement.

"And how does one serve unofficially," Miranda chuckled, watching the woman in amusement.

"I joined ROTC the summer before I started high school. It goes into my records, but I technically wasn't enlisted until I turned 17. But once you're in, some people in the navy would consider that time served," Andy shrugged.

"That's very honorable," Miranda sounded slightly impressed, Andy noted.

She truck Andy was the type that wasn't very easily impressed. Actually, now that Andy was really looking at her, she got the feeling that she had seen her before. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but the silver haired woman seemed like someone she knew. Although, she doubted she would forget someone like her. It bothered her that she couldn't remember, and the feeling lingered throughout the rest of her day.

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><p><strong>Hey everyone! This is just a little idea I've been playing around with. Let me know if I should continue with it, and thanks for reading!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you guys for the amazing response to this story! I know the chapters are a little short, but I'm aiming to get this story finished soon. It won't be very long, around 4-10 more chapters depending on my muse, but I'll leave it open so I can always add to it in one shots later on. **

**As for Andy's retirement, she's medically retired, which is actually pretty common in the military. My mom is medically retired from the Army after only 6 years served. I drew my inspiration about Andy's situation directly from what actually happened to my mother. I know the Navy and the Army are different, but this is fanfiction so excuse the obvious errors. This is just for fun! **

**Don't forget to drop me a review to let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>It's during a rainy afternoon, while she's visiting her cousin in his fancy place in Manhattan that Andy figures it out. For nearly a month, she's been secretly going crazy trying to figure out exactly why Miranda looks so familiar. Seeing the woman at least once a week, with the occasional text or email between actual meetings didn't help her restless mind. Andy never forgets a face. Never. It's as much a blessing as it is a curse. She possesses a photographic memory, of sorts, and her inability to recall where she knew Miranda from had irritated her to no end.<p>

So, imagine her shock when she's casually relaxing in her cousin's place, making jokes and catching up, and she just so happens to look up at his mantle. There, near the end of a surprisingly long row of pictures, was her cousin standing next to Miranda. Andy nearly choked on her wine, and did a double take. She couldn't understand how she hadn't noticed it immediately. Then, it all clicked. Miranda Priestley. Her cousin's boss. Nigel. Miranda. Caroline and Cassidy. The dots all connected, and Andy felt like smacking herself. Exactly how she didn't realize that the welcoming -if slightly distant- woman who's children had a weekly play date with Braden was the same woman that was plastered all over magazines she passed by daily, she wasn't sure.

When she took Braden to Miranda's house that following week, she got an odd vibe from Miranda. She shrugged it off, and watched as Braden helped the girls put clips on Patricia, who looked far too used to the treatment to be bothered. She chuckled, and accepted Miranda's offer of tea. They're drinking their respective beverages, when Miranda finally speaks up, looking at Andy curiously, if a little cautious.

"Braden always speaks of his father, but you never do," Miranda starts casually, "I take it you're on peaceful terms?"

"Of course. Doug is practically my brother, we're so close. I mean, he trusts me with his kid, after all," Andy now realizes she's never explained that Braden isn't her child.

She has custody of him now, yes, but that's only until his father is fit to care for him again. As it stands, they go visit Doug every other weekend. She was named his godmother when he was born, and she's just slipped into the role of a mother figure for him, especially since his own mother wasn't there. It was just natural to treat him like her own, and people assumed he just looked like his father. It was true, though. Braden was a carbon copy of his father, with the exception of his bright green eyes and the freckles fanned across his nose and cheeks. He even had the shaggy brown hair Doug had growing up.

"So...he's not your son," Miranda was clearly surprised.

"No," Andy shook her head.

"And his mother?"

"She died in childbirth with Braden's twin. Braden barely made it himself, he was so tiny," Andy sighed.

She remembered Doug holding Braden close to his chest, extremely protective and desperate to reassure himself that he had a son, that even though he lost a child, he hadn't lost them both. She stayed with him every night for nearly 3 months, and they both took on the responsibility of a newborn. They were both young military grunts at the time, and had no clue what to do with a baby, but they figured they would figure it out together, like always.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Miranda's reply was genuine, as she looked at her own children, unable to imagine losing one of them that way.

"It's ok," Andy shrugged, "everything worked out ok in the end."

"Indeed," Miranda agreed.

"So, what's the story behind the scar," Miranda suddenly asked, catching Andy off guard.

"Excuse me?" Andy blinked in confusion.

"The scar along your right hip and back," Miranda elaborated, "I saw it last week when you were knocked over by Patricia."

Andy shifted uncomfortably, the reminder of her past not exactly on her list of things she expected to happen today. It was like the mention of the scar had flipped a switch, and the memories came back full force. It was like a horrible nightmare playing before her eyes, only she wasn't dreaming and the pain was a harsh reminder that it was very real. Not even her imagination could come up with the horrors she saw daily when she was overseas.

* * *

><p><em>Andy and Doug were coming back to base, having been out long before the sun was up. Being Seabees meant they were one of the first to come into contact with a new war zone, in order to build the roads and structures needed to keep people safe. Andy had accepted that she wouldn't have a direct combat role, much to her mother's relief. So, she settled into the next best thing. Naturally, they would come into contact with the enemy while trying to establish base, and she was trained for months in preparation. Besides, she got to serve with her best friend, and that made any worries she had disappear.<em>

_"I'm not looking forward to the trip home," Andy groaned, looking at Doug._

_"You are the worst sailor I know! Why join the Navy if you hate boats," Doug teased, pushing her slightly._

_"Pop was always so proud of his accomplishments, I guess I thought it would be a lot different than reality," Andy admitted, "but it's been years, and I still hate ships. I love everything else though."_

_"You're ridiculous, And-" Doug was cut off by a small thud, and a click._

_Everything happened so fast, Andy wasn't even sure if it had happened at all. One second she was joking around with Doug, the next second she was being forced to the ground. Shots rang out, nd she could hear them whizzing over her head. She gasped, struggling to regain the breath that had been knocked from her lungs. Doug was screaming something to her, but all she could hear over the ringing in her ears was the rattling of the guns going off around her. As the ringing died down, she realized she couldn't see very well. Blinking rapidly did little to help, and her mind slowly realized that the noise she heard just before being forced down was likely a Flashbang grenade. It explained the lack of vision, and it explained the ringing in her ears._

_"Fuck! Fucking...Fuck! Andy, C'mon! We gotta move," Doug was tugging on her arm, as her vision slowly returned._

_Andy stumbled to her feet, her shaky hands wrapping around the standard issued M16A3 all active Seabees carry. The familiar weight of the weapon centered her better, and she attempted to keep pace with Doug, who managed to turn away in time when the grenade went off. He was still shaky, but he was in better shape than Andy. They found cover with the marines stationed with them for protection, and Andy had enough time to catch her breath and gather her bearings._

_"Sachs! Are you injured," one of the marines got her attention, snapping her from her daze._

_It was then that she became aware of the sharp pain in her leg. Looking down, she saw the trail of bloody footprints that lead to her. Her hand reached down into the hole in her fatigues, and she pulled back a palm covered in blood. She blinked rapidly, unable to fathom why she had blood on her fatigues._

_"I...there's blood. Lots of it, Sir. Oh shit, Dougie! Where's Dougie!? Is he ok, I have to find him! He's bleeding and I have to help him -LET GO OF ME!" Andy worked herself up, until she was screaming at the marine as he attempted to keep her from getting up._

_"Sit your ass down, kid! You're in shock," the marine forced her back none too gently, "you've been shot."_

_"Oh," was all she could mutter, her eyes wide as she watched him cut open her pant leg and assess the damage._

_"You're in luck, Kid. It's just a flesh wound. The bullet must have grazed you when you wend down for cover," he ripped a few strips from is fatigue jacket, and patched her up as best he could, " it should be ok to walk on, or run if need be, but it'll slow you down."_

_"Thank you, Sir," Andy took his offered hand, and stood up, "where...is Dougie here? I mean, did he-"_

_"He's by the barricade," the marine offered, pointing him out, "he's a hell of a shot, too. Saved my life when I was pulling you inside."_

_Andy didn't reply, she immediately took off towards the barricade, where the fighting was the heaviest. Just like promised, Doug was situated in a window, firing off shots as the targets came into view. When he ducked to reload, he glanced up at her and grinned._

_"Hey, Welcome back! You were pretty out of it earlier," he grunted, pushing the magazine into the gun._

_"Yeah yeah, you can crack jokes when we're out of this fucking mess," Andy took the safety off her rifle, and took a position on the other side of the window._

_"Agreed," Doug chuckled._

_The battle was relentless, as the marines and Seabees held out for backup. When the announcement that they were minutes out was given, it lifted everyone's spirits. The convoy took out what was left of the enemy troops, and as the medics checked everyone over, they moved from the hostile area. Andy was separated from Doug, and put with the other injured. She was exhausted, and her leg was more injured then what was originally assessed. She would require a minor surgery when they got back to base, but that was the leas of her problems. She was alive and well, and that's all that mattered._

_Andy was just dozing when she heard it. The truck in front of her had run over an IED, triggering an explosion. The truck flew back, causing a ripple in the convoy. Because her truck was right behind it, they flipped 3 times, before landing upside down. Andy heard screaming, the horrible sound of metal ripping apart and she felt a sharp pain on her right side, before everything went black._

_She woke up in a hospital in Ireland a week later. She suffered from a brain hemorrhage, and when the truck flipped, a stray piece of shrapnel had lodged its way into her side, rendering her temporarily paralyzed. The only good thing that came out of the whole thing was that Doug managed to escape with minor injuries. He broke his left and 4 ribs, but was expected to make a speedy recovery. He visited her every chance he got, sneaking her ice cream and burgers from local restaurant._

* * *

><p>"I was in a car accident," Andy finally answered Miranda.<p>

She looked away from questioning blue eyes, and finished her tea in silence. She wasn't ready to talk to anyone about what happened, and she made that clear with her silent dismissal of the topic. Miranda must have understood, because she stopped the question on the tip of her tongue, and went back to watching the children playing without another word.


	3. Chapter 3

"Daddy," Braden yelled, rushing into his father's room.

Doug grinned widely, wrapped his arms around his son as best he could, "Hey, little B! God, you get so big every time I see you! What has Andy been feeding you, huh?"

Braden giggled, swatting at his father's hands, "ice cream!"

Doug glared at Andy playfully, "I knew it! Why did I leave my kid with the woman that has the biggest sweet tooth ever?"

Andy rolled her eyes, sitting on Doug's bed, "oh whatever. You would have just stuffed him full of chicken nuggets and root beer."

Doug smirked, knowing she was probably right, "so, how's things at work?"

"Tense. Captain Korh isn't exactly happy to see me go. He's pretty much made me his Secretary. I haven't seen a ship in months," Andy sighed.

"Well it's a good thing ships aren't your thing then," Doug laughed at her scowl.

"I'm going crazy sitting in an office twiddling my thumbs and making coffee. I should be out building stuff, or fighting!"

"Isn't that what got you into this mess in the first place? I don't think fighting is what we're made for, Andy," Doug had an odd look on his face that Andy couldn't quite place, "we're not marines, and look what we've both been through! I can't...I can't do this to my son again."

Andy watched Doug motion to the fact that he was in a wheelchair, with his son on his lap. Braden was clinging to him, like he always did when they visited him at the Live-in Rehab Doug currently lived in.

"I know," Andy said quietly, guilty for complaining when her best friend could barely move his arms enough to hold his own son, "I'm sorry, Dougie. I'm just a little stressed."

"I get it," Doug smiled at her, back to his bubbly self again, "but hey, don't you have a hot date with that MILF?"

"Doug! Your son is right there," Andy scolded, rolling her eyes at his grin, "and it's not a date. She invited me to lunch, that's all! Speaking of, I better go. I'll be back in a few hours to take Braden home."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do on your little date," Doug yelled after her, as she left.

"That's not saying much. You're kinda easy, Dougie," Andy teased him.

"Exactly! You need to get laid, so go get that cougar," Doug wolf whistled and wiggled his eyebrows.

And just shook her head, leaving her deluded best friend to entertain his son, who was pulling out his latest drawings to show his father. Andy watched them for a few seconds, before she forced herself to actually leave. The drive to Miranda's house was silent without Braden talking her ear off in the back seat. She turned up the radio and tapped her fingers along the steering wheel as she drove. Mambo No. 5 came on, causing her to laugh. This was the very song that played at the school dance in 5rd grade, when she and Doug were awkwardly pushed together and forced to dance by their friends.

She and Doug both awkwardly stood there, her in her worn out overalls and him in his very fashionable sweater and bowtie combo. At least, that's what he told her It was when she asked why he was dressed that way. It caused her to laugh, and he convinced her to just dance it out and forget about their friends. That was the day they became friends, and to this day, every time the song comes on they stop everything and dance together. Looking back, Andy always laughs at the irony of them being pushed together, considering they were both not interested in the opposite sex in the slightest, even back then.

Andy was surprised when she found herself pulling up to Miranda's house, having been lost in thought the whole drive. She got out, grabbing her bag, and headed up the steps. Before she could knock, Miranda was opening the door.

"Andrea, and punctual as always," Miranda raised an eyebrow, but Andy could see the amusement in her eyes.

"Can't help it," Andy grinned, "in the military everything is 15 minutes prior to 15 minutes prior. It's hardwired into my brain by now."

By the look on Miranda's face, she could tell her words were slightly confusing. Before she could elaborate and no doubt bore Miranda with the more boring facts about the Navy, Miranda motioned for her to come inside. Following obediently, she took in the somewhat familiar sight of the townhouse. She'd been here a few times when she brought Braden for his play dates.

"Tea?"

Andy looked up at the question, offering a small smile and a nod, "that would be great, ma'am...Miranda."

Andy corrected herself after seeing the look on Miranda's face. She was so uses to Ma'am and Sir that it was odd to call anyone but her close friends and subordinates. As she sipped at her her steaming hot tea, she noticed immediately that something was off about Miranda. Reading body language was a must in her line of work. When you're constantly in a hostile warzone, it's hard to determine whether the person in front of you is friend or foe when the culture is so strict and uniform. Certain tells in body language could be the difference between life and death.

"I'd like to consider you a friend, Andrea," Miranda said suddenly, surprising her.

"Um," Andy cleared her throat, "yeah. I would hope you do by now."

Clearly pleased with her answer, Miranda continued with her thoughts, "an...acquaintance of mine's has asked me to dinner tonight. However, the girls will be arriving from their father's home fairly soon, and Cara is out of the state visiting family. It's come to my attention that they quite enjoy when you and Braden are present, and I wonder if you would consider keeping them for the evening if you have no prior engagements."

Andy took a moment to absorb the information given to her, and she immediately realized this was a very big deal for Miranda. Her daughter's were her everything, and she was entrusting them to her. It was only for a few hours at most, but it was still quite a very big deal for Miranda to even consider it. Andy felt a rush of pride and an emotion she couldn't quite put her finger on flood her, and she gave Miranda Her signature bring smile.

"I would love to watch the girls tonight, Miranda. Braden will want to show them all his new clothes," Andy chuckled at the thought of his showing off his new wardrobe, acquired just for the purpose of impressing them and Miranda.

"New clothes," Miranda raised an eyebrow at that.

"Wednesday he had a half day, so when I picked him up, he decided he wanted to go and get new clothes so that he -and I quote- 'looked liked he belonged on the arm of a Priestley'. Now I wonder where he got that idea from," Andy looked at Miranda knowingly.

To Andy's surprise, Miranda laughed. It was a light, airy sound that caused her stomach to flutter a little. Immediately she clamped down on the sensation, reminding herself not for the first time that she wouldn't even come close to winning over someone like Miranda, who was as straight as they came. At least, that's what she told herself. She ignored the fact that she had seen Miranda eyeing her up more than once, and it clearly wasn't to scrutinize her outfit. If she was honest, the truth was that her last relationship had ended very badly, and she didn't want to risk the budding friendship between them for what could probably just be a passing fancy for Miranda.

"That sounds like the work of Caroline, I think," Miranda shook her head, "she's more like me than I originally thought."

"Well, I don't see that as a bad thing," Andy shrugged, "teaching a young girl to have standards is nothing but good in my book. At her age I was mud wrestling with the local boys and I never went anywhere without my slingshot. My mother nearly had a heart attack."

"Somehow I can clearly picture that," Miranda shook her head in amusement, "you are quite remarkable, Andrea."

Andy fought off a blush, and shook her head, "you should look in a mirror, Priestley."

* * *

><p>"Cass! Caro! Andy they're here," Braden grinned, pulling open the door to their apartment.<p>

Andy wasn't too concerned by him opening the door, since she was aware of who was behind it before they even made it to their floor. The doorman called to verify they were who they said, and sent then up. Andy sat the last of the cookies she baked onto the counter, and pulled off her oven mitts. Her apron was tied around her waist and folded over to protect her jeans from the flour. Her maroon, long sleeved shirt was rolled up at the arms, and she had her long hair pulled into a high ponytail.

She came out of the kitchen and was greeted by the sight of Braden wearing a black shirt with a tuxedo design on the front, and matching black slacks and socks. She couldn't stop her laugh, as she got closer. Earlier, he was dressed in a full on suit, and she immediately told him to change. He disappeared into his room, and she went to the kitchen to finish dinner. Apparently this is what he chose as his alternative. From the looks on the 3 Priestley womens faces, they were also amused, if a little charmed by his outfit.

"Well, I guess this is better than the suit he had on earlier," Andy shrugged, unable to stop the small chuckle that passed her lips.

"Well, he looks quite charming either way," Miranda gave him an approving nod, causing him to flush and put his hands behind his back, "perhaps I should be going to dinner with you instead. I have a feeling you'd be much better company."

The comment caused him to grin, even as he ducked his head shyly. Andy chuckled and ruffled his shaggy hair, before moving to help the twins with their bags.

"I'll put this in Braden's room, and Braden will show you to the living room," Andy headed to his room, listening as Braden went on and on about his new video game, while she put the girls' things away.

She found the four of them sitting on the couch in front of her large tv. The kids were all glued to the cartoon that was playing, while Miranda watched them all fondly.

"Ok, who's hungry? Dinner is all ready in the kitchen," Andy announced.

As she predicted, the kids all rushed into the kitchen like a it was the last meal they were going to ever eat. Miranda stood, and met her near the entrance to the kitchen.

"I'll be back no later than 8," she promised.

"Well I can always make an emergency call if he bores you to tears," Andy grinned widely, amused at Miranda's reluctance to go.

"A what?"

"If you need a polite excuse to leave, just text me an S.O.S. I'll call you and give a bogus excuse for you to leave," Andy explained, "we used to do it in high school."

Miranda raised an eyebrow at the mentioning of High School," I appreciate the offer, Andrea, but I think I'll survive."

Andy shrugged, and saw her to the door after she said goodbye to the girls. Andy leaned again the from door, and sighed. Whatever was going on with her was seriously questioning her ability to remain unaffected by the strange emotions Miranda made her feel. She shook her head, and pushed off from the door. She headed into the kitchen, laughing as the twins were attempting to steal a cookie from the plate near the stove.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Sorry for the late update, School doesn't exactly agree with my muse and my inspiration has been MIA recently. Hopefully you enjoy this update. **

**Also, can anyone take a guess at what's in store for these ladies in the next few chapters based on the end of this one? **

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><p>At 6:50, exactly 30 minutes after Miranda left her place, Andy got a text message from Miranda. The girls were helping her put the now clean dishes away, and Braden was picking out a movie, when the chime from her phone alerted her to a new message. Sending the girls off to the living room to watch the movie, she wiped her hands dry and checked the message. It was short, and straight to the point, which Andy had learned to expect from the woman. When she saw it, Andy laughed. It seemed Miranda took her quite literally and sent her S.O.S.<p>

She immediately picked the phone up and called her, wondering how bad the date was going if she had only been there for 20 minutes at max. It took 10 minutes from her apartment to get to the restaurant, so she couldn't fathom how someone messes up a date with Miranda Priestley in 20 minutes. If she was ever on a date with her, she would go out of her way to deliberately avoid annoying her. Clearly whoever was with her didn't share that mind frame.

"Yes," Miranda picked up on the third ring, sounding so annoyed that even Andy winced slightly.

"Well, Caroline sneezed earlier, so I'm assuming that she'll be sick at some point within the next few months," Andy grinned, "and in about 10 minutes I'm sure Cassidy is going to have a stomach ache from eating one too many cookies while my back was turned."

"I'm on my way," was all Miranda said, promptly hanging up on her, which Andy had learned was a habit of hers.

She shrugged, and went back to cleaning up behind the small pack of children that left crumb trails along the counters and on the floor. She was throwing away the leftover trash when the doorbell rang. She opened her door, and there was Miranda, clearly annoyed and slightly relived. She allowed her in, taking her coat and hanging it up.

"Mom?"

"You're back! It's just getting to the best part," Caroline and Cassidy both tugged their mother between them.

Braden, being the gentleman he was, offered them his blanket, before taking off down the hall to grab another one. When he returned, Andy was already sitting on the couch, so he climbed into her lap, and wrapped them both in the warmth. Andy smiled at him, and kissed the top of his head. They sat like that for the rest of the movie, until the weight of Braden's head grew, and Andy immediately knew he was asleep. She looked over at the twins, seeing them laid out on either side of Miranda with their heads in her lap, both fast asleep.

"Miranda," Andy said quietly, "if you want, you all can spend the night. Braden's room has a bunk bed, so there's room for the girls, and there's a guest room."

Miranda looked down at the girls, who were both snoring slightly, perfectly in synch with each other. She smiled to herself, and looked back at Andy with a slight nod. She couldn't bring herself to wake them, and she knew the girls would enjoy spending more time with Braden. It wasn't often she let them spend the night out, but she would be here as well, so she felt more secure in the knowledge that they were safe.

"I'll be right back," Andy picked Braden up, taking the spare blanket with her.

She easily put him on the top bunk, figuring it would be easier to get him up there than putting both twins in the top bunk. The lower bunk was a full sized bed, meaning more room for the girls. Andy looked around his room, checking that he had cleaned up behind himself. His cream carpet was free of any toys, and all the picture frames and posters on his light blue walls were perfectly situated, causing Andy to laugh to herself. Braden really wanted to impress the girls. With that thought, she returned to the living room to offer Miranda help with the girls.

"Here, let me help," Andy gently picked up Caroline, when she saw Miranda attempting to hold them both.

The girl immediately wrapped her limbs around her like a snake, even in her sleep. Andy smiled at that, taking her into the bedroom to place her on the far side of the bed. When Miranda placed Cassidy beside her, the twins instinctively clung to each other, drawing smiles from both Andy and Miranda. They left the room quietly, switching on the night light so that if anyone woke up for the bathroom they could see.

Once the children were put to bed, Andy realized how exhausted she was. She offered Miranda a pair of her best pajamas, which were made of blue silk that matched Miranda's eyes, and she and Miranda settled down to watch the evening news.

"So, before the military, what did you want to do," Miranda asked her curiously.

Andy shrugged, looking into her rapidly cooling coffee, "in high school, before my mother died, I wanted to be a journalist. I was going to do my 4 year stint in the Navy and then move here to work for a newspaper."

"But," Miranda pressed, sensing there was something being left out.

"When I was a kid, my mom would always paint in her art room. More often then not, she painted the same house over and over. She said it was her dream house, so my father promised he would build it for her after he retired," Andy sighed, "he never got the chance to, because he died while evacuating his men. He managed to get them out of the ship, but he ran out of oxygen when he went back to double check everyone was safe."

"Oh, Andrea, I'm sorry," Miranda now realized why Andy was so proud of her service, and why a girl with the ability to succeed anywhere would join the military.

"It's ok," Andy offered her a tight smile, "after he died, my mother stopped painting. She was terrified when I told her I was joining the Navy my freshman year, but she supported me regardless. In my sophomore year, my mother was in a car accident. By the time the paramedics got there it was too late. I moved in with my god mother, my mother's best friend, Amelia a week later, and she took care of me like my mother would have. When it came time for me to enlist, instead of doing journalism like I originally planned, I chose to become a Seabee like my father. Now that I'm retiring, I'm going to keep my father's promise to my mother and build her dream house."

Miranda had no idea how Andy could be so strong. Losing her father was one of the most horrible experiences of her life, she couldn't even begin to understand what it was like to lose both parents at such pivotal moments in her life. As she looked at Andy, she gained a newfound respect for her. For someone so young, she had been through more than most twice her age, and still managed to smile and laugh.

"You are quite remarkable, Andrea," Miranda found herself says, locking eyes with the blushing brunette.

"Right back at you, Priestley," Andy chuckled.

* * *

><p>After their impromptu sleepover, things become far more busy in both of their lives. Miranda was battling with Irv more than ever, which meant Andy was receiving irritated calls detailing how horrible work was from both Miranda and Nigel. Andy was officially medically retired, after being forced to jump through so many hoops her head spun. She was a good officer, and most didn't want to see her go. She had been bribed by her captain several times, as he attempted to make her stay. Andy laughed him off, knowing he was only joking. Captain Daniels reminded Andy of her father, which made leaving his command so hard for her. He was one of the men her father saved the day he died, which meant he had a speacial bond with Andy. She hoped they would stay in contact now that she was officially a civilian.<p>

With her 28th birthday rapidly approaching, Andy was at a loss for what to do. She hadn't celebrated a birthday outside of the military since she was 17, and that meant she was always limited in what she could do. Now, she has way too much free time and money wasn't ever a problem for her. Just when she had resigned herself to staying in with Braden, Nigel invited her to Las Vegas, where Runway would be attending a conference. He was taking a few personal days after, and he figured it would be a good way to celebrate her newfound freedom. It didn't take much convincing, and before she knew it Braden was with Lily for the week, and she was being picked up from the airport by her flamboyant cousin.

"Six," Nigel hugged her, before pulling back to look over her outfit, "Well, I see military life was nothing but good for your figure. You look amazing."

Andy looked at her outfit of True Religion jeans and a China blue blouse and rolled her eyes at Nigel, "you're ridiculous, Nige. Let's just get to the hotel, I'm starving."

"Aren't you always," he teased her playfully, before stepping out of rang of the halfhearted swat she aimed at him.

"So, when is this fancy conference," Andy asked, as they went to baggage claim.

"Well actually, for some reason that is beyond me, it was cancelled last minute and no one bothered to tell anyone," Nigel rubbed his temples, "Miranda has been in full dragon mode every since. She had to rearrange her schedule twice to accommodate this trip, and most of her big meetings can't be rescheduled for the original time. She's basically left with 4 full days of nothing to do. It's driving her up the wall."

"Oh yeah, that's totally worth drinks tonight," Andy chuckled.

"You read my mind, my darling cousin," Nigel grinned at her.

"Maybe we should invite Miranda," Andy watched as Nigel stopped in his tracks, nearly getting hit by a closing door as they walked towards baggage claim.

"Are you insane," he practically screeched, "the last thing we need is Miranda to join us for drinks, when I'm technically still on Runway time. Nevermind that she would never agree."

"Well if she goes you'd both still be on Runway time so o don't think she'll mind. And I have a feeling I can get her to agree," Andy laughed, pulling her luggage from the others.

"Yeah right," Nigel snorted, "even you and your Midwestern lesbian charms couldn't convince her."

"Well 50 bucks says I can," Andy raised an eyebrow in challenge.

"Let's make it 100," Nigel smirked.

"Fine," Andy pulled a 100 dollar bill from her wallet, before pulling out her phone.

Nigel watched her, raising an eyebrow when she started dialing Miranda's number. It rang 3 times, before she picked up the phone.

"Hey Miranda," Andy smiled, "...yeah I landed safely...yeah. I heard about the conference, I'm so sorry! I was going to get a drink with Nigel tonight, and I was wondering if you were interested. Nigel will probably ditch me as soon as some hunky man walks by, so I'm in need of some good company...well of course, it's no big deal Miranda...I totally understand, maybe some other time before you head back to the chaos of New York...you don't have to Miranda, I know you have a lot of work to do...oh, well if you're sure...ok great! I'll see you at 7? Ok, bye Miranda."

Nigel stood with his jaw to the floor, as Andy snatched the 100 dollar bill from his fingers, and walked passed him with a chuckle.


End file.
